Attendees at CultureCon refused to let interviewer Glenda McNeal get away with mispronunciating Issa Rae’s name on stage at the event, Saturday. When she said Rae’s name as “Ih-suh,” the audience quickly began interrupting her. The two had been discussing Rae’s work mentoring creatives of color.
“You guys know a lot about Issa Rae for all the incredible work that she’s done,” said McNeal, mispronouncing the actress’ name. As fans began shouting out the correct pronunciation, McNeal apologized for the mistake. “EE-suh Rae! Sorry! Thank you; it’s okay! Calm down. I’m part of the community, honey, it’s okay,” she said. From there, an attendee remarked: “And you didn’t say her name right.” McNeal responded: “It’s okay to be vulnerable and don’t get it right all the time. That is my life and you should embrace it. Embrace it, girl. Embrace it!”
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Issa Rae At CultureCon
The negative reactions didn’t end there. Afterward, a clip of the awkward moment went viral on social media, prompting further backlash. “Issa was gonna let it go but the crowd said AHT AHT! Millennials do NAWT play about Jo-Issa Rae Diop. And I, too, am in that number!” one user wrote. Another added: “While it’s not the end of the world, this kind of thing annoys me to now end. Whatever your title, when you’re going to speak to someone, let alone interview them, find out how to say their name properly.”
Interviewer Mispronounces Issa Rae’s Name
when i tell you we were not having it with the mispronunciation if issa rae’s name
pic.twitter.com/3StisdzBYq
— penda (@notpenda) October 7, 2023
Rae, who is best known for her work on HBO’s Insecure, recently starred in both Barbie and Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. She’ll soon be appearing in Cord Jefferson’s American Fiction, alongside Jeffrey Wright and Tracee Ellis Ross.
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